Rod woke to silence. No shouting. No clanking metal. No distant screams or the sound of footsteps echoing through cold, filthy corridors.
For a moment, he lay there, staring at the ceiling, feeling strangely… lost. In prison, he had always known what the day would bring—fighting for food, surviving another hour, watching his back. But here? The air was different, the sheets were clean, and the bed wasn't just a slab of concrete. He didn't know whether to call it an improvement or an illusion.
With a sigh, he sat up, rubbing his eyes before reaching for the uniform Leon had given him. The fabric felt stiff and new against his skin, unfamiliar but not uncomfortable. He slipped it on, then ran a hand through his messy black hair before heading to the door.
The moment he stepped outside, he froze.
Leon was already there, leaning casually against a sleek black car, arms crossed.
Rod narrowed his eyes. "Were you waiting for me?"
Leon smirked. "You think I'd trust you to find the academy on your own?"
Rod scowled but didn't argue. He had no idea where he was supposed to go.
As he slid into the passenger seat, he glanced around the vehicle. "Didn't think someone like you would have a car."
Leon chuckled as he started the engine. "It's not mine. It's my sister's."
Rod raised an eyebrow. "Your sister?"
Leon nodded, keeping his eyes on the road. "She's not around right now, so it's fine to use it. And speaking of her—you're going to be pretending to be her son from now on. You'll be using my surname."
Rod's expression didn't change, but his mind reeled at the casual way Leon dropped that information. "And she's okay with that?"
Leon's smirk returned. "She doesn't know."
Rod let out a dry laugh. "Great. That'll end well."
Leon didn't seem bothered. He simply drove, navigating the roads with ease until the city started to fade behind them.
—
The academy wasn't in the city.
Rod realized that when they reached a long bridge stretching out over the ocean. The water beneath them churned, dark and restless, and at the far end of the bridge, an enormous structure loomed.
Nine Star Academy.
It was a fortress, built on an artificial island, rising from the sea like a monument to power. As they got closer, Rod could make out the towering walls, the advanced security systems, and—most notably—nine massive statues standing guard at the entrance. Each statue was carved in exquisite detail, their stone faces set in expressions of unwavering determination.
Rod studied them, his gaze lingering on the intricate armor and weapons each figure bore. "Who are they?"
Leon glanced at the statues as they passed. "The Nine Founders. The academy was built in their honor. They were the strongest heroes of their time—the ones who shaped the world as we know it."
Rod looked away, uninterested. The past meant nothing to him.
Leon led him inside, through grand hallways filled with students who stole quick glances at them. Some whispered to each other, clearly recognizing Leon. Others ignored them entirely. Rod paid them no mind.
They walked until they reached a part of the academy that felt different. The air smelled sterile, the walls were lined with advanced technology, and everything was brightly lit. It resembled a high-tech laboratory more than a school.
Waiting for them was a woman in a white lab coat, her arms folded as she eyed Rod with mild curiosity.
"This the new one?" she asked.
Leon nodded. "Yeah."
She exhaled. "Alright. Let's get this over with. We'll start with the assessment test."
Rod followed her into a separate room, minimalistic and cold, with a single glowing crystal in the center.
The woman gestured toward it. "Put your hand on the crystal."
Rod hesitated, then stepped forward, pressing his palm against the surface. The crystal flared to life, energy pulsing outward in sharp bursts. Screens along the walls flickered, numbers and symbols scrolling rapidly.
A moment later, the results appeared.
Leon and the woman studied the screen as it processed. Then, finally, the woman turned to Rod.
"Your ability is ranked S."
Rod blinked. "Is that good?"
Leon leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "The ranking system goes: SSS, SS, S, A, B, C, D, E." He glanced at Rod. "S is rare… but in Phantom Lotus, it's just the entry requirement."
Rod didn't react. He didn't care about rankings. Power was power.
The woman, however, wasn't finished. "Next is the practical test." She gestured toward another room, where a swirling white Gate pulsed in the air.
Rod recognized it immediately—but it was different from the one he had seen in the city. Smaller. Less… menacing.
The woman noticed his hesitation. "Don't worry. This Gate leads to an artificial dimension created for testing. All you have to do is kill the monsters inside."
Rod's eyes darkened. That's it?
Leon patted his shoulder. "Try not to die."
Rod ignored him and stepped into the Gate.
—
The moment he entered, the air shifted. The sky above was an endless gray void, and the ground beneath his feet was a mixture of stone and sand. Ahead of him, six creatures prowled—twisted, monstrous versions of wolves. Their eyes glowed a sickly yellow, and their claws scraped against the ground, hunger dripping from their snarling jaws.
Rod exhaled, rolling his shoulders.
Fastest way to kill them…
Meanwhile, outside the Gate, the woman monitoring the test tapped her fingers against the console. "Most students hesitate when they first enter," she muttered, watching the screen. "They run, hide, or get overwhelmed the first time. It takes at least one or two tries before they—"
She stopped mid-sentence.
Blood seeped from Rod's mouth and eyes, pooling unnaturally around his body. It twisted, shifting like a living entity, wrapping around him in a form-fitting, armor-like suit.
Then, without warning, he moved.
One second, he was standing still. The next, he was gone.
The air cracked as he launched forward, blood compressing around his feet to propel him with monstrous speed. He blurred toward the first wolf, its eyes barely registering the movement before his hand—coated in razor-sharp blood—sliced through its throat.
One down.
Before the others could react, he twisted, using the momentum to propel himself toward the second, then the third.
The woman watching the screen gaped. He's not hesitating. He's accelerating.
The fourth wolf lunged. Rod shifted midair, blood reinforcing his limbs as he grabbed the final two creatures by their skulls. He clenched his fists—hard.
Their heads caved in.
Silence.
The entire fight had lasted less than ten seconds.
The woman stepped back from the screen, shock evident in her eyes. "That's… impossible. That's a new record."
Leon, however, only smiled.
"The fun," he murmured, "starts now."